𝐎𝐑𝐏𝐇𝚰𝐂 | 𝙹.𝙷

CHAPTER 2

In the morning I woke up and it was still dark out. I could just see the sun peaking over the mountains in the distance out of the living room window. I got up and started cleaning the couch, I went into the bathroom and changed into my old clothes, folding up the ones Charlie gave me and laying them on the couch beside the folded blanket. I took the plate from my food last night and brought it into the kitchen to clean it. As I stepped up to the sink someone cleared their throat, making me jump hard, it took everything in me not to scream and wake up the entire street. I looked to the side, seeing Charlie sitting at the small kitchen table with a steaming cup of coffee and yesterday's newspaper.

"Morning," Charlie hummed, I stood there frozen like a deer in headlights "Ya know if you're gonna try to sneak out, maybe consider that fact that the Police Chief's gotta be up before the rest of the world."

"Yeah," I sighed, chewing the inside of my cheek to try and calm down.

"Get yourself a coffee and sit down."

I didn't have it in me to protest or argue, so I just did as he said. I found the mugs and the milk and the sugar, then I sat down at the small table across from Charlie. He set down the newspaper, taking a long sip from his coffee and scratching his beard again. Part of me wanted to say something, but I couldn't think of anything. As soon as I could I would get out of here, get out of Charlie's hair, out of his life. I really meant to leave.

"I wanna make a deal with you," Charlie started, taking a deep breath then blowing it all out, making the steam from his coffee waft across the table "Technically I should write you up for that stunt you tried to pull last night at the corner store, but I don't wanna put that on your record, or do the paperwork, so I have a proposition for you." I nodded my head, sipping my coffee slowly and trying not to shake out of my skin or chew a hole through my mouth "You and I both know you're just gonna end up in the next town, still homeless, continuing on this shit life you've been living—" Charlie cleared his throat again, scratching at the back of his neck as he took another deep breath "I want you to stay with me and Bella."

"No, Charlie—"

"Either that or I add this to your record and report you to the state, you'll end up in the foster system. You can run but any time you try to get a job or stay anywhere the local police will chase you."

I stared at the man in shock "Are you blackmailing me?" I gawked

"I'm helping you," Charlie grumbled "You aren't gonna help yourself so I'm slightly blackmailing you into letting me help you." I didn't know what to say, I just kept staring "You go to school, get your high school diploma, maybe get a job, then when you turn eighteen you're free to go."

I was shocked. Not only was this man who I had met less than twenty-four hours ago offering to help me, but he was making me let him help me. I couldn't shake the fact that this could still be a horrible trafficking setup or something else of the kind, but the feeling of my old grimy clothes on my back once again and the warm cup of coffee in my hands, spreading warmth up through my arms and into my stomach, enticed me. I kept waiting for that sinking feeling of dread to reappear after years of being on my own, but it never happened. For whatever strange reason, I felt okay with Charlie and being in his house. Damnit, I felt safe.

"Hey Dad," I jumped again as a short teenage girl, probably the same age as me came walking into the kitchen, getting herself a glass of water. She turned around and looked at me, giving me an awkward half-smile "Hi, I'm Bella."

"Annika," I greeted half-heartedly, looking between Charlie and Bella, trying to figure out why the man's daughter wasn't freaked out by my presence.

"I caught her before she fell asleep last night, told her you were here," Charlie explained, easing my thoughts "Bells I offered for Annika to stay with us, go to school with you. Whatchu think about that?"